Drying mechanism.



R. E. VALENTINE.

DRYING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 4. 1905. 923,092, Patented May 25, 1909.

s SHEETS-SHEET 1.

R. E. VALENTINE.

DRYING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 4. 1905. 923,092, Patented May 25, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

llllllllll llllml R. E. VALENTINE.

DRYING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 4. 1905.

Patented May 25, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

UNITED STATES RALPH E. VALENTINE, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

PATENT ,OFFICE.

DRYING MECHANISM.

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RALPH E. VALENTINE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Worcester, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented cerj tain new and useful Improvements in Dr infi-Machines; and I do hereby declare t e fo owing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in drying machines, and more particularly relates to drying machines of that type wherein is employed a series of traveling racks for the carriage through the machine of the material to be dried.

The present invention aims to rovide a machine of the character mentione the construction of which is exceedingly simple, and

by the employment of which the most economical use of the drying medium is assured. Furthermore, the invention also aims to rovide a drying machine 1n which is embodied sim le and eflicient means for readmitting at iflerent points in the machine the air exhausted therefrom for further action upon the materialbeing dried, andwithout preventing the rapid and thorough drying of the material. The invention further has in contempla tion a drying machine embodying additional means for effecting a constant moving of the racks, the construction of which means is also such as to render the same sim 1e and With thesegeneral objects in view, and

others which w1ll appear as the nature of the improvements is better understood, the invention consists substantially in the-novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanyin drawings, and, ointed out in the appende claims.

W iile the forms of the invention herein shown and described are what are believed to Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. April 4, 1905'. Serial No. 258,820.

Patented May 25,1909.

be preferableembodiments thereof, it is obther changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction, andthe right is accordingly reserved to modifyor vary the invention as falls within the 'spirit and scope thereof.

In the drawings Fig-ure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of a drying machine constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional lan view thereof. 3 is a detail elevatlon, on an enlarged sca e, of a portion of the conveying mechanism, and illustrating the positions of the racks during their transit through the machine, the racks, at the points of application of the engaginghooks, being shown in section. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view on the line 44, Fig. 3'. Fig. 5 isa lon 'tudinal sectional view of another form 0 the invention. Fig. 6 is a sectional plan view of the form shown in Fig. 5. I

Referring in detail to the drawings,"thc numeral 1 designates the casing-of the herein-described machine, the same consistingof an elongated body provided at one end with an inlet door or doors 2, and at its otherend 'with an'outlet door or doors 3, whereby the racks containing the materialto be dried are introduced and removed from :said casing.

The racks, designated by the numeral 4, may be of the usual form, the same being mounted upon casters 5, and in the construction of the racks it is preferable that the casters at the forward ends thereof shall be fixed, while the casters at the rear ends may be pivoted. By pivoting the casters at the rear ends of the racks the latter may be more easily guided than if the casters are fixed. This is especially desirable when the racks have been removed from the casing 1.

In order that the racks 4 may properly travel from one end of the casing 1 to theother end thereof, the sides of said casing are provided with guide-rails 6, which rails are preferably in the form of angle irons, and the horizontal flanges thereof are engaged by guide-rollers 7 journaled upon the sides of the racks 4. Hence it will be seen that by reason of the rollers 7 cooperating with the guide-rails 6, the racks will traverse the casing 1 in a direct line, and without liability of coming in contact with the sides of the casing. If found more desirable, tracks may beprovided upon the bottom of the casing for the vious that the invention is susceptible of furwheels of the casters 5, or any other desired guiding means may be substituted for the rails 6 and rollers 7. i A

In order to move the racks 4 throu h the casing 1, an endless conveyer 8 is emp oyed, said conveyer being in the nature of a sprocket chain. and passing around a (pair of driving rolls or wheels 9, one of sai wheels bein' connected to a suitable motive power, an through the medium of which aconstant movement of the conveyer 8, at a slow speed, is effected. It will beobserved that the wheels 9 are journaled at points beyond the ends of the casing 1, in order that'the con-' veyer 8 will traverse the entire length of said casing, and it will also be observed that the upper side of the conveyer 8 only 1s des1gned to pass through the casing 1, said s1de o the conveyer moving in close proximity to the floor of said casing. A pair of oppositely-arranged guides 10 is employed for maintaining the convey er 8 at substantially the middle of the casing, thereby insuring a proper movement of the conveyer, and preventing any sidewise motion thereof. At suitable gomts along the conveyer 8 a series of spaced ogs 11 is arranged, and it will be observed -that the spaces between these dogs are 'hooks 12 each comprise a shank 15 the rear end of which is beveled, as at 16, and adaptslightly less than the lengths of the racks 4, the purpose of which will presently ap ear.-

In order to connect each of the rac with the conveyer 8, and thereby efiect pro ulsion of the racks through the casing, eac of the racks has pivoted to the forward end of the underside, and at substantially the middle ortion thereof, an engaging hook 12. Eacl i of said hooks is mounted upon a ivotal bolt 13 arranged in a pair of depen ing hangers 14 suitably connected to the underside of the rack, and consequently it will be seen that each of the hooks 12 is capable of a limited movement in a vertical-plane. The

ed to contact with the underside of the rack for limiting the downward movement of the hook, and arranged at the forward end of the shank 15' isan inclined head 17, the outer surface of which is convex, and said head terminates at its lower end, and at the point of juncture with the shank 1 5, in an abutment 18 against 'which the dogs 11 are adapted to contact when the hooks 12 are in their lowerthe casing.

To su ply thecasing 1 with a suitable drying medium, an inlet duct 19 communlcates therewith at a point adjacent the delivery end of the casing, said duct bein in communication with a chamber 20, W erein is located any suitable form ofheat generator. The latter, however, is preferably a series of steam coils, but obviously any other generator may be employed, and consequently as air passes through the chamber 20 the tem- A fan 22 may also be 'e'm loyed in connection with the chamber 20, w ich fan may be propelled from an suitable source, and through the medium 0 which the supply of air may be increased to the chamber 20,

' At a point adjacent to the inlet end of the casin 1 an exhaust duct 23 is located, said duct eing in communication with the casing 24 of an exhaust fan, and whichcasing also discharges into a delivery trunk 25. The duct 23 is likewise provided with acut-ofi' or damper valve 26, by means of which communication between said duct and the interior of the casin 1 is regulated, and it will thus be seen that y means of the valves 21 and 26 communication between the chamber 20 and the fan casing 24 is effectually controlled.

ent of the others foi its propulsionthrough The delivery trunk 25v extends parallel with the casin 1, and at'separated points throughout its en'gth said trunk is tapped by a series of return ducts or fiues 27, the latter being in communication with the interior of the casing 1, so that, if desired, the air blown into the trunk 25 by the exhaust fan may be returned to the casing 1 at different points. At the juncture of each duct or flue 27 with the trunk 25, a regulating valve or damper 28 is located, the purpose of which valves is to control communication between said trunk and said ducts, and each of said ducts is also provided with a reheater 29 located at a point between the ends thereof, and whereby the temperature of the air delivered from the trunk 25 may be raised before passing into the casing 1. By the arrangement of the heater, fan and ducts, the most economical use of the heat is assured. The air may be readmitted at any oint beyond the inlet end of the casing 1 without preventing the rapid and thorough drying of the material carried by the racks 4, the degree of dryness of the air within thecasing increasing toward the discharge end of the casing, at which latter "oint it is entirely free of moisture, due to the act that it is initi lly introduced to the casing 1 at that poi directly from the heater.

Thus thedryness of the air at any point is in direct proportion to the dryness of the material, and to overcome the slight retardation of the drying process, which may possibly arise incident to the'readmission of the air,

requires only a proportional increase in the length of the machine. In this connection it may bestated that tosecure the best and most rapid drying. a high velocity of the air isdesirable, and at such velocity, as the air does not become saturated, it is economical int-he use of heat energy to readmit the air until it does become saturated or nearly so. This I provides for the operation of the machine on the most economical basis.

InFigs. 5 and 6 is illustrated another form of the invention, and in this form the same construction for the purpose of heating the air, exhausting the same, and 'readmitting.

the air to the casing, is preserved. This form, however, diflersfrom the other form in that in lieu of,the racks 4, for the carriage of the material {to be dried, an endless conveyer 30, or a series thereof, is substituted. This conveyer is preferably formed of perforated material, such as w1re mesh, in order to permit a free-circulation of the drying medium therethrough, and the conveyer 30 passes around a pair of rollers 31 which are 1ournaled at the exterior of the casing, and driven by suitable power for effecting a propulslon of the conveyer.

By referring to ig.- 5, however, it will be noted that the casing 1 is provided at intervals with a series of stationary deflectors 32 rising from the floor of the casing, and which deflectors are alternately arranged with a series of swinging or hinged deflectors 33, suspended from the roof of the casing and terminating at a point just above the upper side of the conveyer 30. This alternate arrangement of the deflectors 32 and 33 ermits the heated air introduced at the delivery end of the casing 1 to be directed u wardly toward the roof of the casing by wiich latter it is deflected downwardly, and coming in contact with the next ad acent swinging deflector 33, the air;

is caused to pass through the conveyer 30 toward the bottom of the casing 1, whence it passes upwardly again by reason of the next adjacent stationary deflector 32, and this circuitous passage of the air from the discharge end to the inlet end of the casing 1 continues during the traverse of the conveyer 30. By reason of the deflectors 33 being hinged, it is also a parent that the same will yield to the material upon the upper side of the conveyer 30, in the passage of the materi'althrough the casing 1, so that the material is not displaced in any degree whatever are of a circle until the material has passed said deflectors and thus freed from contact therewith.

In the use of the invention, and with spe cial reference to the operation of the form shown in Figs. 1 to 4, the material to be dried is placed upon one of the racks 4, and the latter is introduced to the casing 1 at the inlet end 2 thereof. At this time the engaging hook 12 of the rack has gravitated to its lowest position, and as the abutment 18 is in a plane to be engaged by one of the dogs 11 of the conveyer 8, such engagement takes place as soon as the dog contacts with said abutment. The rack 4 immediately commences its transit through the casing 1, and by reason of the slow speedof the conveyer 8 the rack will also travel slowly.

During this period of travel the contents of the rack are subjected to the drying agent within the casing 1 which is introduced through the duct 19 fromithe heating chamber 20. The racks 4 are successively introduced, in accordance with the amount of material to be dried, and this may be done either before the first rack has reached the delivery end of the casing, or 'not until such ment 18 from engagement with the dog 11.

The. latter continues to move forwardly, but having been freed from engagement with the rack, the latter ceases to move, and consequently remains at the delivery end of the casing 1 until it is desired to remove the same therefrom. The remaining racks successively move toward the delivery end of the casing, and as the second one comes in contact with the first rack, the engaging hook 12 of the second rack is freed in a man ner similar to the disengagement of the hook 12 of the first rack from its dog 11, and con sequently each of the racks issuccessively stopped in its movement through the easing. When it desired to remove the first rack from the casing, the door or doors 3 are opened, whereupon the hook 12 of the first rack gr'avitates, and is engaged by one of the dogs 11 to propel it forwardly. As the first rack leaves the second rack it is obv 1- ous that the hook 12 of the second rack will also gravitate, and becoming engaged with one of the dogs 11, the second rack moves forwardly to the position reviously occupied by the first rack, but y reason of the 35 tion upon the material upon the racks 4.

fact that the distance between the dogs 11 is slightly less than the length of the racks,

the second rack will move independently of the remaining racks, so that there is only the weight of one rack upon the conveyer 8 in the successive forward movements of v the racks, and the load is thereby minimized to the greatest possible degreer As is obvious, the racks are successively moved forward as the preceding ones leave the same,

and consequently a rack is always located at the delivery end of the casing 1 for removal therefrom. This action is wholly automatic, and: is merely dependent upon the removal of the rack at the delivery end of the casing, and as each rack leaves the latter, a further rack is introduced to the casing for drying the contents thereof.

The heated air introduced from the chamber 20 passes into the casing 1, and traverses the latter until it reachesthe inlet end,

at which point it is exhausted through the .duct 23 by the fan in the casing 24, and is thence discharged into the delivery trunk 25. If the airso delivered is to be exhaust-v ed into the atmosphere, the cut-offs or dam- The quantity of the air readmitted, and the position at which it is done, must be determined by. the amount of evaporation at a certain heat, and the length of time required ftoevaporate the required amount of moisture, which, obviously, varies greatly. By reason of the reheaters 29, the air passing through the respective ducts 27, may be raised in temperature to the required degree, and thus'the dryness of the air readmitted at any point in the casing is in direct p'oportion to the dryness of the material;

hile the reheaters are lpreferably employed, these are not abso utely essential,

nor is the fan 22 an essential element, as the fantwithin the casing 24 alone will prevent the loss of the heated air through any leaks in the machine or by the opening of the doors, the suction created by this fan being inward.

Having thus described the invention, what I is claimed as new, and desired to be secured means for introducing a by Letters Patent, is- 4 1 A drying machine, com rising a casing, rying medium thereto, means for exhausting the drying medium from said casing, a conveyer assmg through said casing, a rack or racks or carrying the material, gravity hooks carried by means for introducing a said rack or racks for, engaging the conveyer, and means whereb said hooks are, automatically released 0m the conveyer when they meet an' obstruction to thereby bring the racks-to rest. I

2. A drying machine, comprising a casing, means for, introducing a drying medium thereto, means for exhausting the drying medium from said casing, a conveyer passing through said casing, racks for carrying the material to be dried, dogs carried by the conveyer, and hooks associated with the racks for engaging said dogs for propelling the racks through said casing.

3. A drying machine, com rlsing a casing, rying medium thereto, ,means for exhausting the drying medium from said casing, a conveyer passing through said casing, racks for carrying the material to be dried dogs carried b the conlveyer, and gravitatmg hooksassoclated with the racks for engaging said dogs for propelling the racks through said casing.

4., A drying machine, com rising a casing, means for introducing a, rying medium thereto, means for exhausting the drying medium from said casing, a conveyer passing through said casing, racks for carryang the material to be dried, dogs carried by the conveyer, and gravitatin hooks associated with the racks for engaging said dogs for propelling the racks through said casing, said ooks being rovided actuating heads ada ted to e ect automatlc disengagement oft e hooks from said dogs.

5. A drying machine, com rising a casing, means for introducing a rying medium thereto, means for exhausting the drying medium from said casing, a conveyer passing through the casing, racks for carrying the material to be dried, dogs carried b said conveyer and spaced a art a distance s 'ghtly less than the length'o the racks, and hooks associated with said racks for engagement with said dogs to propel the racks through the casing, said hooks being provided with means whereby the same are automatically released from engagement with said dogs as the racks are successively advanced through the casing.

A 6. A drying machine, com rising a casing, means for introducing a rying medium thereto, means for exhausting the drying medium from said casing, a conveyer passing through the casing, racks for carrying the material to be dried,'dogs carriedb conveyer and spaced a art a distances 'ghtly less than the length 0 the racks, and hooks associated with said racks for engagement with said dogs to propel the racks through the casing, saidhooks being provided'with engaging heads adapted to contact with the racks for automatically releasing the hooks from engagement with the dogs as the racks are successively advanced through the casing. I

said a 7. A (1 ing machine, com risin a casing provided t its ends with ail inlet and discharge, means arranged adjacent to said discharge end for introducing a drying medium thereto, means arranged adjacent to the inlet for exhausting the drying medium from the casing, and means associated with said exhausting means for readmitting the drying medium to said casing between the inlet and exhaust.

8. A drying machine, comprising a casing, means for introducing a drying medium thereto, means for exhausting the drying medium from said casing, a cbnveyer passing throu h the casing, racks for carrying the materlal to be dried, means associated with said racks and cooperating with the conveyer for propelling the racks through the casing, said means being adapted to be automatically actuated when they meet an obstruction for releasing the racks from engagement with the conveyer, and means associated with the exhausting means for readmitting the drying medium exhausted from the casing.

9. A drying machine, comprising a casing, means for introducing a drying medium thereto, means for exhausting the drying medium from said casing, a conveyer passing through said casing, racks for carrying the material to be dried, dogs carried by said conveyer, gravity hooks associated with said racks for engaging said dogs, whereby the racks are propelled through the casing, and means for automatically releasing said hooks from said dogs when they meet an obstructlon.

10. A drying machine, comprising a casing, means for introducing a drying medium thereto, means for exhausting the drying medium from said casing, a conveyer passing through said casing, racks for carrying the material to be dried, dogs carried by the conveyer, hooks associated with said racks for engaging said dogs, whereby the racks are propelled through the casing, means for automatically releasing said hooks fromv said dogs when they meet an obstruction a delivery trunk associated with said exhausting means, and return ducts or flues communicating with said trunk and said casing for readmitting the drying medium exhausted therefrom.

11. A drying machine, comprising a casing, a duct connected at one end thereof for introducing a drying medium thereto, a duct connected to the other end of said casing and through which the drying medium is -exhausted, means for conveying the material to be driedthrough said casing, a fan connected to said exhaust duct, a delivery trunk separated from said casing and connected to-said fan, and return ducts or flues communicating with said delivery trunk and said casing for readmitting the drying medium exhausted therefrom.

12. A drying machine, comprising a casing, a duct connected at one end thereof for introducing a drying medium thereto, a duct connected at the other end of said casing and through which the drying medium is exhausted, a conveyer passing through said casing, racks associated with said conveyer for carrying the material to be dried, a fan connected to said exhaust duct, a delivery trunk separated from said casing and connected to said fan, and return ducts or fiues communicating with said delivery trunk and said casing for readmitting the drying medium exhausted therefrom.

13. A drying machine, comprising a casing, a duct connected to one end thereof and through which a drying medium is introduced to said casing, a duct connected to the other end of said casing and through which the drying medium is exhausted, a conveyer assing through said casing, racks for carrylng the material to be dried, means associated with said racks and cooperating with said conveyer for propelling the racks through the casing, a fan connected to said exhaust duct, a delivery trunk separated from said casing and communicating with said fan, and return ducts or flues communieating with said delivery trunk and the casing for readmitting the drying medium exhausted therefrom.

14. A drying machine, comprising a casing, means for introducing a drying medium thereto, a conveyer passing through said casing, a rack or racks for carrying the material, gravity hooks carried by said rack or racks for engaging the conveyer, and means whereby said hooks are automatically released from the conveyer when they meet an ob struction to thereby bring the racks to rest.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

RALPH E. VALENTINE.

Witnesses:

JOHN A. ULARoBY, E. BERT JoHNsoN. 

